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University  of  Pennsylvania 


rhe  Latin  Epigram  of  the  Middle  English 

Period  with  Special  Reference  to 

Ms.  Reg.  17Cxvii,fol.  17b-18 


AN  ABSTRACT  OF  A  THESIS 

PRESENTED  TO  THE  FACULTY  OP  THE  GRADUATE  SCHOOL  IN  PARTIAL 

FULFILLMENT  OF  THE  REQUIREMENTS  FOR  THE  DEGREE 

OF  DOCTOR  OF   PHILOSOPHY 


\    BY 

LEWIS  BURTON  HESSLER 


flUje  Collegiate  J>reso 

George  Banta  Publishing  Company 

Menasha,  Wisconsin 

1916 


University  of  Pennsylvania 


The  Latin  Epigram  of  the  Middle  English 

Period  with  Special  Reference  to 

Ms.  Reg.  17Cxvii,fol.  17b-18 


AN  ABSTRACT  OF  A  THESIS 

PRESENTED  TO  THE  FACULTY  OF  THE  GRADUATE  SCHOOL  IN  PARTIAL 

FULFILLMENT  OF  THE  REQUIREMENTS  FOR  THE  DEGREE 

OF  DOCTOR  OF   PHILOSOPHY 


BY 

LEWIS  BURTON  HESSLER 


tWje  <HoUcgiBte  Pmbb 

George  Banta  Publishing  Company 

Menasha,  Wisconsin 

1916 


THE  LATIN  EPIGRAM  OF  THE  MIDDLE  ENGLISH  PERIOD 
WITH  SPECIAL  REFERENCE  TO  MS.  REG.   17C  xvii,  FOL 

17b-18 

Scattered  through  the  works  of  the  Middle  English  period,  for  the 
most  part  in  those  of  an  historical  nature,  is  a  large  body  of  Latin 
verse,  consisting  chiefly  of  epigrams,  apothegms,  occasional  poems  and 
other  brief  metrical  compositions.  These  are  generally  grouped  under 
the  head  of  epigrams  and,  except  in  Thomas  Wright's  Anglo-Latin 
Satirical  Poets  and  Epigrammatists  of  the  Twelfth  Century,  no 
attempt  has  been  made  to  make  a  complete  collection  of  such' verse 
written  during  the  Middle  English  period,  Wright's  valuable  collection 
covering  only  one  century. 

^  Much  of  the  material  grouped  under  the  head  of  Anglo-Latin 
literature,  that  has  been  heretofore  published,  has  been  given  to  the 
world  mainly  because  of  its  historical  interest.     The  volumes  in  the 
Rolls  Series  are  a  case  in  point.     These  valuable  works,  lying  as  they 
do  at  the  foundation  of  the  best  work  of  nineteenth  century  English 
historians,  have  given  an  impetus  to  historical  research  that  would  not 
otherwise  have  been  possible.     This  situation  is  not  true  in  the  realm 
of  pure  literature,  where  the  investigator  of  literary  problems  acts  on 
the  assumption  that  he  should,  presumably,  occupy  himself  only  with 
those  things  that  have  been  written  in  the  English  language.     True, 
in  the  main;  but  by  so  doing  he  neglects  much  that  is  worthy  of 
attention  and  belongs  quite  properly  in  the  broad  stream  of  our 
literature.     Furthermore,  he  overlooks  the  fact  that  for  a  writer  of 
the  twelfth,  thirteenth  or  fourteenth  century,  and  even  later,  to  use 
the  Latin  language  in  preference  to  the  vernacular,  was  a  mere  cir- 
cumstance, for  the  writers  of  learned  and  religious  works  at  that  time 
used  Latin  as  freely  as  we  to-day  use  English,  and  probably  spoke  it 
as  easily,  also.    And  as  verse  was  the  natural  medium  of  expression 
then,  we  have  a  great  many  metrical  compositions  surviving  in  the 
prose  that  has  come  down  to  us,  some,  likewise,  that  were  written  for 
their  own  sake,  such  as  the  epigrams  of  Godfrey  of  Winchester  and 
Henry  of  Huntingdon. 

English  writers  all  through  our  history  have  been  fond  of  experi- 
menting with  the  epigram,  that  most  distinctive  of  Latin  literary 
forms,  but  it  flourished  principally  in  medieval  times  when  Latin 

338268 


4  THE  LATIN  EPIGRAM  OF  THE  MIDDLE  ENGLISH  PERIOD 

writing  of  all  kinds  was  at  its  height.  The  medieval  Latin  epigram 
has,  therefore,  more  interest  for  us  than  modern  examples,  because 
it  was  more  natural,  whatever  may  be  said  of  its  quality. 

There  is  much  Latin  epigrammatic  verse,  however,  that  does  not 
exist  in  published  form,  and  in  this  category  belongs  Ms.  Reg.  17  C 
xvii,  fol.  17b-18,  noticed  by  Horstman  in  his  edition  of  Richard  Rolle. 
This  manuscript,  written  by  one  John  the  Priest,  belongs  most  likely 
to  the  fourteenth  century.  The  dating  must  be  approximate,  because 
it  depends  altogether  on  internal  evidence.  The  handwriting,  which 
is  cramped  and  marked  by  many  contractions  and  cursive  letters, 
belongs  to  the  later  period  of  the  English  book-hands.  It  may  also 
be  presumed  that  the  manuscript  comes  within  the  span  of  Rolle's 
lifetime,  between  the  years  1290  and  1349,  several  of  the  epigrams 
being  duplicates  or  close  imitations  of  some  in  Horstman's  edition. 

The  writer  has  in  his  possession  other  productions  of  a  similar 
character  in  manuscript  form,  which  he  intends  to  bring  together  in 
a  complete  collection  of  the  Latin  epigrams  of  the  Middle  English 
period.  To  look  at  medieval  thought  and  custom  from  the  angle  of 
even  a  single  literary  type  will  be  profitable,  if  a  sufficient  number  of 
examples  of  such  type  be  collected.  The  following  transcription  and 
translation  of  Ms.  Reg.  17  C  xvii,  fol.  17b-18  is,  therefore,  offered  as  an 
earnest  of  what  the  writer  hopes  to  make  a  much  larger  and,  as  far  as 
possible,  a  complete  census  of  Latin  epigrams  of  the  Middle  English 
period. 


TEXT 

ISTE    LlBELLUS     EST     NECESSARIUS     VALDE     SACERDOTIBUS 

Prefatory  Note 

The  text  has  been  transcribed  exactly,  as  far  as  its  difficulties  admit, 
even  where  to  do  so  makes  poor  sense ;  and  no  attempt  has  been  made 
to  tinker  with  passages  that  are  evidently  corrupt.  The  quotation 
marks  at  the  beginning  of  many  of  the  lines  indicate  the  separate 
epigrams,  although  there  are  cases  where  this  does  not  hold  true,  as  in 
line  9,  for  example.  Not  all  of  the  divisions,  however,  are  shown  in 
this  way;  in  such  cases  the  editor  was  obliged  to  use  his  judgment. 
In  many  of  the  lines,  especially  at  the  beginning  of  the  manuscript 
the  cesura  is  indicated  by  a  mark  somewhat  resembling  the  colon. 
The  lines  are  without  other  punctuation. 

"Vos  qui  servitis  Christo,  servire  studete 
Ut  memores  sitis  hos  versus  sepe  videre. 
Psallite  devote,  distincte  metra  tenete, 
Vocibus  estote  Concordes,  vana  cavete. 
5         Nunquam  posterior  versus  prius  incipiatur 
Quam  suus  anterior  perfecte  fine  fruatur; 
Qui  resecat  psalmos,  vel  laudis  verba  rescindit, 
Non  magis  inde  feret  quam  si  sua  lingua  taceret. 
"Non  aliter  poterit  melius  caro  viva  domari. 

10        Mors  tua  qualis  erit  quam  semper  praemeditari. 
Hie  brevis  est  vita,  tu  presbyter,  atque  lenita; 
Que  mala  sunt  vita,  ne  mors  tibi  sit  sine  vita. 
Vilior  est  humana  caro  quam  pellis  ovina. 
Si  moriatur  ovis,  aliquid  valet  ilia  ruina; 

15        Extrahitur  pellis  et  scribitur  intus  et  extra. 

Si  moriatur  homo,  moritur  caro,  pellis  et  ossa. 

"ffastus,  avericia,  torpedo,  livor  et  ira, 
Et  gula,  luxoria:  septem  sunt  ista  cavenda. 

"  Sole  credederim  non  jures  vana  per  quantum, 
20        Sabbata  sanctifices,  habeas  in  honore  parentes, 


)  THE  LATIN  EPIGRAM  OF  THE  MIDDLE  ENGLISH  PERIOD 

Non  sis  occisor,  fur,  mecus,  testes  iniquus, 
Nullius  uxorem  cupias,  non  res  alienas. 

"Visito,  poto,  cibo,  redimo,  tego,  colligo,  condo; 
Consule,  castiga,  solare,  remitte,  fer,  ora. 

25        "  Gustus  et  olfactus,  auditus,  visio,  tactus. 

"Duodecim  articuli  fidei  sic  praesunt  retineri. 
Hii  sunt  articuli:  quod  sit  trinus  deus  unus, 
Christus  homo  factus,  natus,  passusque  sepultus, 
Descendat,  surgat  qui  scandit,  iudicet  atque 
30        Praemia  det,  surgant  omnis  qui  sacra  sacris  dent. 

"  Confessor  dulcis,  affabilis  atque  suavis, 

Sit  pius  et  prudens,  discretus,  sitque  benignus. 

"Sit  simplex,  humilis  confessio,  pura,  fidelis 
Atque  frequens,  nuda,  discreta,  libens,  verecunda, 
35        Integra,  secreta,  lacrimabilis,  accelerata, 
ffortis  et  acusans,  et  sit  parere  parata. 

"Aggravat  ordo  locus  mos  causa  scientia  tempus 
Lucta  pusilla  modus  culpe  genus  status  altus 
Conditio  minima  aetas  et  in  scandala  sexus. 

40        "  Jussio  consilium  consensus  palpo  recursus 

Participans  mutus  non  obstans  non  manifestans. 

"Quinque  modis  peccat  uxore  maritus  abutens: 
Tempore,  mente,  loco,  condicione,  modo. 
Ex  istis  quinque  penis  plectetur  adulter. 
45        Aut  hie  fit  pauper,  aut  hie  subito  morietur; 
Aut  erit  insanus  merito,  vel  carcere  tentus; 
Aut  aliquod  membrum  casu  vel  vulnere  perdet. 

"Obsunt  doctrine  mere  trices  atque  taberne; 
Discursus  sperne  ne  sint  tibi  causa  ruine. 

50        Discere  non  pudeat,  vultum  doctoris  honora. 

Non  male  tempus  eat,  vigilans  accende,  labora. 

"Leges  praetendunt  defectus  presbyterorum, 
Quod  nimis  ascendunt  indigni  culmine  honorum; 
Et  male  dispendunt,  praebent  exempla  malorum; 


WITH  SPECIAL  REFERENCE  TO  MS.  REG.  17c  XVIII,  FOL.  I7b-18         7 

55        Ludis  intendunt,  lucris,  mensis  dominorum. 

"  Religiosorum  sunt  hec  species  viciorum: 
ffastus  et  accidia,  murmur  et  invidia, 
Et  commune  bonum  veluti  proprium  retinere, 
Vesci  non  Ileitis,  praelatis  nolle  parere. 

60        Uxor  adulterius  rea  confessore  perito 

Sic  luat  admissa,  ne  sit  suspecta  marito. 
"  Sepe  rem  moveat  confessor  ne  residivet, 
Et  si  labatur,  confestim  confiteatur 
Et  vitet  causas  ad  lapsus  allicientes. 

65        "Qui  facit  incestum  deflorans,  aut  sodomita, 

Sacrilegus,  patrum  percussor,  aut  homicida 

Transgressor  voti,  periurus,  sacrilegusque 

Et  mentita  fides,  faciens  incendia  prolis, 

Oppressor,  blasphemus,  hereticus,  omnis  adulter: 
70        Pontificum  super  hijs  semper  detentus  ad  ilium. 

Abluo,  firmo,  cibo,  piget,  ungit  et  ornat. 

Uxor  quorum  numerus  et  sumciencia  simplicat 
Sensusque  ipsa  conferuntur  ad  septem  virtutes, 
Principales  quarum  tres  sunt  theologice  et  quattuor  cardinales. 
75        Ad  actum  namque  fidei,  iuvet  baptismus;  ad  actum  spei, 
Unctio  extrema;  ad  actum  caritatis,  eucharistia; 
Ad  actum  prudencie,  ordo;  ad  actum  fortitudinis, 
Connrmacio;  ad  actum  iusticie,  poenitentia;  ad  actum 
Temperantie,  juvat  matrimonium. 

80        "Baptizat  sanguis,  contricio,  limpha  fidesque. 

"Imprimit,  adnichillat,  aperit,  confertque  religat, 
Baptismus  signum,  culpam,  celum,  bona,  planctum. 

"ffictus  adest  dicens  nil  sacramenta  valere, 
Vel  quia  discredens  vel  non  peccata  relinquens. 

85         Ungitur,  induitur,  intinctus,  lux  datur  illi, 

Ut  sint  mens  pura,  caro  casta,  refulget  et  actus 
"Roborat,  augmentat,  hoc  sacris  delet  et  unit. 

Die  'adeo,'  'tan turn'  dicas;  'adeo'  quoque  'certe,' 


8  THE  LATIN  EPIGRAM  OF  THE  MIDDLE  ENGLISH  PERIOD 

Affirmatione  quoque  dicas  et  quantitatis. 

90        "Panis  mutatur,  specie  remanente  priore, 
Et  non  est  talis  qualis  sentitur  in  ore. 
Re  occultatus  quare?  quia  si  videatur, 
fforsitan  horreres  et  manducare  timeres. 

Candida,  de  tritico,  tenuis,  non  magna,  rotunda, 
95        Expers  frumenti,  non  mixta,  sit  hostia  Christi. 

"Per  Dominum  dicas  Patrem  cum,  presbiter,  oras; 
Cum  Natum  memoras,  per  eundem  dicere  debes; 
Cum  Christo  loqueris,  qui  vivis  cum  Patre,  dicas; 
Cum  memores  Flamen,  eiusdem  die  prope  finem; 
100        Die  cum  quo  vivis  cum  mencio  fit  Trinitatis; 
Expellens  Sathanam  dicas  in  fine  per  ignem. 

"Atque  sumenda  non  est  ablucio  vini, 
Hac  turn  luce  si  celebrare  velis. 

Tres  sunt  ecclesie  partes:  pars  prima  laborat 
105        In  terris;  partem  iam  fovet  alta  quies; 

Partemque  restat  clemencior  excoquit  ignis, 
Excocteque  patent  transitus  ad  requiem. 

"ffrangitur  in  partes  tres  hostia  fracta  beatos 
Planum  sicca  nota  vivos  servata  sepulto. 

110        "Non  est  ungendus  furiosus,  iniquus,  parvus. 
Est  turn  ungendus,  si  peti(t)  ipse  furens. 

"Natus  adulterio,  no  thus,  naucus  meretrice; 
De  concubina  spuria  esse  solet. 

"Si  ducas  viduam  vel  quam  corruperat  alter, 
115        Post  aliam  binasve  simul  tercia  coniux 
Cognita  si  fuerit,  bigamie  lege  teneris, 
Et  si  pollutam  violasti  virginitatem. 

"Sive  bis  ordo  datur,  seu  baptisma  reperiatur, 
Aut  ut  sitatur  status  ordo  petatur, 
120        Vel  si  praestetur  ut  utrumque  Symon  ap(p)aretur, 
Ut  dispense tur  spes  irrita  prorsus  habe(a)tur. 


WITH  SPECIAL  REFERENCE  TO  MS.  REG.  17c  XVIII,  FOL.  17b-18         9 

"Effuge  dum  poteris,  concessisse  puteris. 

"Effusus  sanguis,  paries  si  cor(r)uat  ipse. 
Hec  sunt  quae  faciunt  iterato  templa  sacrari. 

125         "Praegnans,  vexati,  peregrinus,  puer,  inveterati, 
Pauper,  languentes  non  peccant  bis  comedentes. 
Mendicans,  praegnans,  puer,  egrotans,  peregrinans, 
Valde  senex,  operans  non  jeiunare  tene(n)tur. 

"Astinet  aeger,  egens,  cupidus,  gula,  Symea  vitis. 

130        "Exemplum,  mens,  lingua,  manus,  subtractio,  victus. 

"Ebrietas  mentem,  loculum  vini,  lumina,  mortem, 
Corrumpit,  vacuat  et  subtrahit,  orbitat,  alit. 

Colloquium,  visus,  contractus  et  oscula,  risus 
Sunt  fomes  veneris;  haec  fugis  et  tutus  eris. 

135         "Hec  sunt  principue  senioribus  insinuanda: 

Bis  sex  articuli  fidei,  septemque  petenda, 

Dona  et  virtutes  praesertim;  crimina  septem; 

Septem  sacra  tuo  Domino  mandata;  decemque 

Legis,  iustorum  merces  peneque  malorum, 
140        In  quibus  erratur  quid  vitandum,  quid  agendum. 

"Lumine  solari  nescit  vitrum  violari, 
Nee  vitrum  sole  nee  virgo  puerpera  prole. 

"Christus  Adam,  botrio,  lux,  mix,  scintilla  lapisque,   . 
fflos,  fructus,  Moyses,  sponsus,  sol,  manna  et  ventus, 
145         Gramen,  uvus,  apis,  fons,  margaritaque  panis, 
Lignum,  rubus,  odor,  radius  bernata  vel  arbor. 

"Adveniat  Christus  iudex  distinctus  in  ira, 
Omnis  discutiens,  commissi  lucra  requirens, 
ffortiter  adiungens,  tollens  in  turbine,  salvans. 

150        "Ignis,  vox  et  ventilabrum,  fera,  visio,  signum 

Judicis  et  planctus,  probra,  lans  sanctissima  nxa: 
Ista  novem  memores  Christo  veniente  futura. 
*Unguor  in  extremis  ut  sit  mea  gratia  maior, 


10  THE  LATIN  EPIGRAM  OF  THE  MIDDLE  ENGLISH  PERIOD 

Et  morbus  levior,  et  mea  pena  minor. 

155         "Dum  merces  reicisque  Iesu  dominosque  coherces, 
Ordo  clavigeri  sacer  exit  in  ordine  cleri. 

Carnis  amicta  toga,  doceas  legis  in  synagoga. 

Ac  datur  ostendi  facto  sacer  ordo  legendi. 

Dominium  triste  dum  tollit  vox  tua,  Christe, 
160        Est  exorciste  sacer  ordo  traditus  istic. 

Se  docet  expresse  Christus  mundi  jubar  esse. 
Huic  datur  ut  cereis  gestandis  ordo  lucernis. 

Vas  fert  Christus  aquae  la vacr unique  manu  dat  utraque. 
Vasi  custodem  sacrat  ordinem  praesul  eodem. 

165         Laus  praeter  morem  Christus  cum  carne  sonorem. 

Deus  monet  illicitas  debere  cavere  levitas. 

Curat  monstrare  Christus  se  dans  crucis  are, 
Qualis  primatus  sit  in  ordine  presbiteratus. 

"Dat  crux  lucia  cineris,  dat  chrismata  dies. 

170        Romanus,  Tecla,  Bartholomeus  cum  Petronilla, 
Hii  cum  Nocturno  dant  sua  festa  loci. 

"Felix,  Marcellus,  Blasius,  Valent  simul  Alban, 
Kenelmus,  Stephanus,  Osibaldus  atque  Donatus, 
Romanus,  Baptister,  Firmin,  Leodegarus,  Quintin, 
175        Edmundus,  Gresogonus:  sunt  omnes  decapitati. 

Responsus  praecepturis  canitur  dum  festa  coluntur. 

"Marci,  Marcelli,  Gervasii  Prothasiique 
Ac  Septem  Fratrum,  dormitancium  quoque  fratrum, 
ffestum  sanctorum  fratrum  Cosme  Damiani, 
180        Nee  non  sanctorum  Crispini  Crispiniani. 

Hec  est  vera  fraternitas  canitur  dum  festa  coluntur. 

"Post  sacra  Samsonis  in  principio  resitata; 
Post  Augustinum  cantetur  Sibina  semper; 
Prothi  Iacinthi  festo(s)  peto  iungere  debes; 


WITH  SPECIAL  REFERENCE  TO  MS.  REG.  17c  XVIII,  FOL.  17b-18         11 

185        Ac  post  vigiliam  Mathei  die  Adonai; 

Post  finem  Cosme  semper  legitur  Machabeus; 
Symon  et  Jude  fo  .   .  .  iam  iungcto(s)  vidi; 
Adventus  Domini  sequitur  solempnia  Lini. 

Nunc  scripsi  Allyisque  Johannes. 


12  THE  LATIN  EPIGRAM  OF  THE  MIDDLE  ENGLISH  PERIOD 


TRANSLATION 

This  Little  Book  is  Especially  Necessary  for  Priests 

Ye  who  serve  Christ,  strive  to  serve  Him  so  that  ye  may  be  mindful 
to  see  these  verses  often.  Sing  devoutly,  mark  the  time  distinctly, 
preserve  harmony  and  avoid  affectation.  Never  begin  the  following 
verse  until  the  previous  one  has  come  completely  to  a  close;  he  who 
cuts  the  Psalms  or  omits  words  of  praise,  gets  no  more  by  so  doing 
than  if  his  tongue  were  silent.  In  no  other  way  could  the  living  flesh 
better  be  subdued. 

Thy  death  will  be  such  as  to  give  thee  continual  food  for  thought. 
Here  life  is  short,  thou  priest,  and  gentle;  what  is  bad,  avoid,  lest 
death  come  to  thee  without  life  (i.  e.,  without  having  truly  lived). 

More  worthless  is  human  flesh  than  the  skin  of  a  sheep.  If  a  sheep 
die,  his  death  is  worth  something,  for  his  skin  is  drawn  out  and  written 
on  inside  and  out.     If  a  man  die,  he  perishes,  flesh,  skin  and  bones. 

Pride,  greed,  sloth,  envy  and  anger,  gluttony  and  lechery:  these 
are  the  seven  (sins)  to  be  avoided. 

Believe  in  one  God,  take  not  His  name  in  vain,  keep  holy  the  Sab- 
bath, honor  thy  parents,  be  not  a  murderer,  a  robber,  an  adulterer, 
a  false  witness,  covet  not  the  wife  of  another  nor  his  goods. 

I  visit,  I  give  drink  and  food,  I  redeem,  I  shelter,  I  collect,  I  bury. 
Counsel,  reprove,  console,  forgive,  be  patient,  pray. 

Taste  and  smell,  hearing,  sight,  touch. 

Twelve  articles  of  faith  are  thus  above  all  to  be  observed.  These 
are  the  articles:  that  the  threefold  God  is  one,  that  Christ  was  made 
man,  was  born,  suffered  and  was  buried,  that  He  descends  (into  Hell), 
rises  and  will  ascend,  judge  and  give  rewards,  and  that  all  shall  rise 
who  give  holy  gifts  to  the  holy. 

The  confessor  shall  be  pleasant,  affable,  and  agreeable,  devout, 
judicious,  discreet  and  kind. 


WITH  SPECIAL  REFERENCE  TO  MS.  REG.  17c  XVHI,  FOL.  17b-18         13 

The  confession  shall  be  humble,  pure,  faithful  and  frequent,  naked, 
discreet,  willingly  made,  truthful,  complete,  secret,  tearful,  rapid,  and 
marked  by  the  spirit  of  obedience. 

Lines  37-41.  The  general  sense  of  these  lines  is  that  all  things 
become  grievous  (aggravat),  office,  place,  custom,  etc.,  down  to  the 
temptations  of  sex.  The  connection,  however,  of  'causa,'  'lucta,' 
'modus  culpe'  in  this  sense  is  obscure,  there  being  no  verb  to  give  the 
proper  coherence. 

The  husband  who  abuses  his  wife  sins  in  five  ways:  in  time,  in  mind, 
in  place,  in  condition,  in  manner. 

From  these  five  punishments  the  adulterer  suffers:  he  either  becomes 
poor  or  will  die  suddenly;  he  will  either  go  insane,  and  rightly,  or  be 
bound  in  prison;  or  some  member  will  die  of  an  accident  or  a  wound. 

Prostitutes  obstruct  the  teaching  of  the  church  and  the  home; 
spurn  their  talk,  lest  they  be  the  cause  of  thy  ruin. 

Do  not  be  ashamed  to  learn,  honor  the  countenance  of  the  teacher. 
Put  not  thy  time  to  ill  use,  but  rouse  thyself,  watch  and  labor. 

The  laws  reveal  the  shortcomings  of  the  priests,  for,  unworthy 
of  the  highest  honors,  they  rise  too  high.  They  are  extravagant,  too, 
and  set  bad  examples;  they  are  absorbed  in  sports,  in  gain,  and  in  the 
feasts  of  their  masters. 

Ecclesiastics  are  liable  to  these  kinds  of  vices:  pride,  sloth,  jealousy 
and  envy;  (and  are  prone)  to  hold  common  property  as  their  own,  to 
eat  forbidden  food  and  to  disobey  the  prelates. 

A  wife  guilty  of  adultery  shall  so  atone  for  her  misdeeds  to  a  skilled 
confessor,  that  she  may  not  be  suspected  by  her  husband.  Let  the 
confessor  so  manage  matters  that  she  shall  not  become  a  backslider; 
and  if  she  does  fall,  let  her  hasten  to  confess  and  avoid  the  causes  that 
lure  to  sin. 

He  who  commits  incest  with  a  young  girl,  or  (is  guilty  of)  sodomy? 
sacrilege,  patricide  or  homicide,  the  breaker  of  vows,  the  perjurer, 
the  profaner  of  holy  things,  the  liar,  the  burner  of  his  children,  the 
tyrant,  the  blasphemer,  the  heretic,  every  adulterer:  over  these  the 
bishop  must  keep  watch. 


14  THE  LATIN  EPIGRAM  OF  THE  MIDDLE  ENGLISH  PERIOD 

I  baptize,  confirm,  take  communion,  do  penance;  he  gives  unction 
and  grants  ordination. 

Lines  72-74.  The  text  is  corrupt  here,  but  the  sense  of  the  last 
two  lines  seems  to  be  that  the  senses  may  be  compared  to  the  seven 
virtues  (one  wonders  how  this  is  possible),  three  of  which  are  theo- 
logical and  four,  cardinal. 

For  the  action  of  faith  baptism  is  helpful ;  for  hope,  extreme  unction ; 
for  charity,  the  Eucharist;  for  prudence,  ordination;  for  steadfastness, 
confirmation;  for  justice,  penance;  for  temperance,  matrimony. 

Baptism  is  by  blood,  water  and  faith. 

Baptism  imprints  a  sign,  annihilates  sin,  reveals  heaven,  bestows 
good  things  and  assuages  grief. 

A  lie  is  abroad  saying  that  the  sacraments  are  of  no  avail,  either 
because  the  liar  does  not  believe  or  does  not  abandon  his  sins. 

He  is  annointed,  clothed  and  baptized,  light  is  given  to  Him;  that 
the  mind  may  be  pure  and  the  flesh  chaste,  He  shines  in  glory  and  His 
act  strengthens  and  fortifies  this  (body)  and  destroys  and  unites  it  in 
the  sacraments. 

Say  'adeo'  and  you  are  saying  'tantum';  'adeo'  also  means  'certe' 
and  you  may  use  it  with  an  implication  of  quantity. 

The  bread  (of  communion)  is  changed,  though  its  appearance 
remains  as  before;  neither  is  it  as  it  seems  to  the  eye.  Why  is  its 
reality  concealed?  Because,  if  it  should  appear  (as  it  is),  you  would 
perchance  shrink  from  it  and  fear  to  eat  it. 

The  (bread  of  the)  Eucharist  must  be  white,  wheaten,  thin,  not 
large,  and  round,  (the  wine)  unfermented  and  pure. 

When  thou  prayest,  priest,  address  the  Father  through  the  Lord: 
when  thou  callest  on  the  Son,  thou  shouldst  send  thy  petition  through 
the  same  Person;  when  thou  speakest  with  Christ,  0  Thou  who  livest 
with  the  Father,  speak  (through  the  Father) ;  when  thou  callest  on  the 
Holy  Spirit,  speak  that  same  name  toward  the  end;  say  with  whom 
thou  livest  when  thou  dost  mention  the  Trinity;  and  at  the  end  say 
(thou  art)  thrusting  out  Satan  through  the  fire. 


WITH  SPECIAL  REFERENCE  TO  MS.  REG.  1?C  XVIII,  FOL.  17b-18         15 

And  the  wine  must  not  be  diluted  if  thou  wish  to  celebrate  the  com- 
munion on  this  day. 

There  are  three  divisions  of  the  church:  the  first  labors  on  earth; 
the  second  is  now  nourished  by  the  peace  of  Heaven;  the  third  is 
purified  in  a  gentle  fire  (in  Purgatory),  whence  lead  the  paths  to  peace. 

The  Host  is  broken  into  three  parts— (the  rest  in  unintelligible). 

The  angry,  the  wicked  and  the  very  young  shall  not  receive  unction, 
but  the  angry  man  shall,  if  he  asks  for  it  himself. 

(A  child)  born  in  adultery,  illegitimate,  is  nothing  to  a  prostitute; 
if  born  of  a  concubine,  a  bastard  is  the  regular  thing. 

If  thou  dost  marry  a  widow  or  a  woman  another  has  betrayed,  or 
if  having  had  two  wives,  a  third  is  known  (to  exist)  thou  art  liable 
under  the  law  of  bigamy,  especially  if  thou  hast  defiled  her  and  violated 
her  virginity. 

Whether  ordination  is  twice  bestowed  or  baptism  be  discovered- 
Lines  119-121  make  no  sense.  Line  121  may  be  translated  thus: 
That  hope  may  be  realized,  let  it  straightway  be  held  vain. 

Escape  while  you  may,  lest  you  be  thought  to  have  yielded. 

If  the  wall  itself  fall  and  blood  be  shed,  these  are  the  reasons  that 
sanctuaries  are  re-consecrated. 

The  pregnant,  the  crazed,  foreigners,  boys,  old  men,  the  poor  and 
the  weary  do  not  commit  sin  when  they  eat  a  double  meal. 

Beggars,  pregnant  women,  boys,  the  sick,  travellers,  the  very  old 
and  laborers  are  not  bound  to  fast. 

The  sick  and  the  needy  abstain,  and  those  guilty  of  greed,  gluttony 
and  simony. 

In  mind,  in  word,  in  deed,  in  retiring  (from  life),  in  mode  of  living, 
(the  priest  should  be)  an  example. 

Drunkenness  debauches  the  mind,  depletes  the  wine-cellar,  dims 
the  eyes  and  fosters  death. 


16  THE  LATIN  EPIGRAM  OF  THE  MIDDLE  ENGLISH  PERIOD 

Speech,  glances,  embraces,  kisses  and  smiles  are  the  kindling  of 
love;  avoid  them  and  you  will  be  safe. 

The  following  are  chiefly  to  be  recommended  to  the  older  (priests) : 
twelve  articles  of  faith,  seven  (of  which)  are  to  be  observed,  especially 
those  pertaining  to  gifts  and  virtues;  the  seven  vices;  the  seven  holy 
commands  of  our  Lord;  and  the  Ten  Commandments,  the  reward  of 
the  just  and  punishment  of  the  wicked,  in  which  is  bound  up  what  to 
avoid  and  what  to  do. 

Glass  cannot  be  harmed  by  the  light;  nor  can  a  virgin,  brought  to 
bed  of  a  child. 

Christ  (is  known  as)  Adam,  the  vine,  the  light,  the  vase,  the  flame 
and  the  stone,  the  flower,  the  fruit,  Moses,  the  bride-groom,  Solomon, 
the  wind,  the  grass,  the  grape,  the  bee,  the  fountain,  the  pearl  and  the 
bread,  the  tree  (or  perhaps  'the  Cross),  the  bush,  the  odor,  the  bloom- 
ing rod  or  the  tree. 

Let  Christ  the  judge  come,  distinguished  in  wrath,  scattering  all 
before  Him  and  requiring  his  own  with  usury,  strongly  binding  (men) 
to  Him  and  bearing  them  aloft  to  salvation. 

The  Fire,  the  Voice,  the  Fan  (winnowing-fork),  the  Beast,  the  Sign 
of  the  Judge,  the  Lamentations,  the  Reproaches,  and  the  most  holy 
Balance  set  up:  bear  in  mind  these  nine  signs  of  the  future  coming 
of  Christ. 

I  receive  extreme  unction  that  my  gratitude  may  be  greater  and 
my  sickness  less  grievous  and  my  punishment  lighter. 

When  thou  dost  reject  the  things  of  Jesus  and  punish  thy  masters 
(i.  e.,  by  thy  sins),  the  holy  office  of  key-bearer  passes  out  in  the  office 
of  priest. 

Enveloped  in  the  cloak  of  the  flesh,  teach  the  law  in  the  temple. 

And  the  holy  order  of  lector  is  permitted  to  be  shown  in  fact  (or 
as  it  is). 

While  thy  voice,  O  Christ,  removes  the  evil  influence  (of  the  demon), 
the  holy  order  of  exorcist  passes  into  other  hands. 


WITH  SPECIAL  REFERENCE  TO  MS.  REG.  17c  XVIII  FOL.  I7b-18  17 

Christ  teaches  explicitly  that  He  is  the  light  of  the  world;  He  is 
like  those  who  carry  tapers  and  lamps. 

Christ  bears  a  vessel  of  water  and  laves  (His  servants)  with  both 
hands.  He  consecrates  a  guardian  of  the  vase  and,  as  his  protector, 
constitutes  it  an  office. 

Line  165.  The  line  is  bad  grammatically,  but  the  sense  may  be, 
"Praise  extraordinary  I  sing  to  Christ  with  my  flesh." 

Line  166.  Another  bad  line,  as  'levitas'  should  be  the  accusative. 
It  means,  however,  "God  warns  us  that  we  ought  to  avoid  forbidden 
levity." 

Christ,  by  giving  Himself  up  on  the  altar  of  the  Cross,  shows  us 
what  sort  of  man  should  be  at  the  head  of  the  priesthood. 
Line  169.    This  line  is  unintelligible  and  evidently  corrupt. 
Romanus,  Thecla,  Bartholomew,  together  with  Petronilla, -these 
with  Nocturnus  are  celebrated  at  (this)  place. 

Felix,  Marcellus,  Blasius,  Valentinus  and  Alban,  Kenelm,  Stephen, 
Oswald'and  Donatus,  Romanus,  the  Baptist,  Firmin,  Leodeger,  Quin- 
tin,  Edmund,  Chrysogonus;  they  were  all  decapitated. 

The  response  to  the  preceptors  is  sung  while  the  festival  is  being 
celebrated. 

The  festival  of  Marcus,  Marcellus,  Gervase  and  Prothase,  and  of 
the  Seven  Brethren,  of  those  brethren,  too,  who  are  sleeping  (under 
the  sod  of  the  writer's  own  churchyard,  probably),  the  festival  of  the 
sainted  brethren  Cosmas  and  Damianus  and,  also,  the  saints  Crispin 
and  Crispinian— (the  writer  has  neglected  to  supply  a  verb). 

"This  is  the  True  Fraternity"  is  sung  while  the  festival  is  being 
celebrated. 

After  the  festival  of  Samson,  the  readings  are  in  the  beginning  (i.  e., 
in  Genesis) ,  after  Augustine  the  festival  of  Sabina  is  always  celebrated ; 
you  should  celebrate  the  festival  of  Prothus  and  Jacmthus  together; 
and  after  the  vigil  of  Matthew  say— (the  meaning  of  the  last  word  m 
line  185  is  uncertain,  although  I  have  transcribed  it  'Adonai');  after 
the  end  of  (the  festival  of)  Cosmas,  Maccabees  is  always  read;  Simon 


18  THE  LATIN  EPIGRAM  OF  THE  MIDDLE  ENGLISH  PERIOD 

and  Jude  I  have  already  seen  joined  together;  the  Advent  of  our 
Lord  follows  the  feast  of  Linus. 

Now  I,  John,  have  written.     (The  meaning  of  'Allyisque'  is  obscure.) 


Gaylord  Bros. 

Makers 

Syracuse,  N.  Y. 

PAT,  JAN.  21,1908 


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